Why can't you say this word?
“Thank you” was once considered a magic word. They were taught to pronounce it from an early age. What happened, why is it now banned?
When watching old films, we hear the word “thank you,” “thank you,” or “give thanks.” It turns out that the word “thank you” contains not entirely positive energy. It is hidden on a subtle level and seems to push people away from each other.
To prevent the relationship from deteriorating, say “thank you,” or “thank you.” Again, a question mark, what is the difference between words of gratitude, because both mean only good things.
Even in Ushakov’s explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, “thank you” means: “God save.” It turns out that the man asks God to save me from this man! That is, at a subtle level, the channel that connects these two people is closed. What a twist!
Today it seems different to us. If you don’t say this word of gratitude at all, then the person will be so offended that he will turn away forever.
“Thank you” has become such a strong part of our speech that when you hear “thank you,” it already hurts the ear. We are not used to this kind of thanksgiving. How can we understand this behavior of people: when we say “thank you,” we see a smile or a nod of the head in response. So it has a positive meaning!
In our society, the one who says “thank you” is considered a rare intellectual who miraculously made his way into our world. But the fact that this man will be remembered for a long time is indisputable.
Is it possible to say “thank you”?
Photo: Flickr.com
The word “thank you” is the main way people express gratitude. But, in essence, it means “God Save.” Why turn him to the Savior himself? This word concerns people, being a wish and even a small prayer for them. Therefore, if there are no words for prayer, or there is no opportunity to turn to the prayer book, then it is better to say to the Lord “we thank and praise.”
I give you the blessing - a wish from the heart?
So say “thank you” or forget? There was an opinion among the people that this word should be spoken to those with whom you no longer want to communicate or to those who have harmed or hurt you. In this case, such gratitude takes on a sarcastic meaning.
You can often hear people answer “no way.” It turns out that this is protecting yourself from possible troubles from that person.
If we say “thank you,” then we are doing something beneficial to ourselves. By saying “thank you,” we wish the person good. That is, having wished good for another, we begin to believe that all good things will return to us.
Do these words really have such different meanings? Try saying both of these thanksgivings, you will see that nothing in your life will change. Doubts will just begin to live in your soul.
Why you can’t say “thank you” in prison
In prison there is no need to say “thank you” at all. A newcomer can be taught a lesson in such a way that he may not survive. Why is it forbidden to say such a word of gratitude in the zone, but only “thank you”?
It is impossible to understand the logic of the prisoners. They probably have a strong opinion that God Save means a direct call from God to save the soul from everything worldly.
If you were told this in everyday life, then defend yourself with the expression “you’re welcome.” That is, you are saying that there is nothing to punish you for. The prisoners will not understand this, but immediately go on the offensive, and everyone who is close to the one who was so thanked.
In prison there is a special unwritten “etiquette” that must be observed. For violating any rule you can become a “rooster”. You should thank your cellmates with the following words: “from the heart,” “spiritually,” “thank you,” or “thank you.”
And “thank you” cannot be used even in letters to family or notes. “Proper guys” can be offended even because of one such thanksgiving.
There is another explanation for this attitude. In the zone, “thank you” and “please” seem obscene to the prisoners to pronounce. This is explained by the fact that the one who pronounces them wants to once again put himself above the prisoners. They will teach a newcomer a lesson the first time, but then they will not stand on ceremony.
Most of the “caregivers” are children from disadvantaged families. They respectfully call themselves “men.” They feel fierce hatred towards more prosperous people. And the prison authorities use precisely these expressions indecent for prisoners in their vocabulary.
Another reason why you can't say thank you like that. If they share tea or cigarettes in the zone and hear “thank you” in response, then this will be the most severe insult. In prison, tea and cigarettes are considered the highest good. They also say “thank you” for them.
Thanks or Thanks?
Among Rodnovers, there are disputes about expressing gratitude in Russian, or more precisely, about the appropriateness of using the word “thank you.” This is what this article is devoted to. Many people believe that they should say “ thank you ” instead of “ thank you ,” supposedly because the latter stands for “God save” and the Christian God is meant. However, there is an opinion that not everything is so simple with the long-suffering “thank you.”
To begin with, it should be mentioned that “thank you” came to modern Russian from Old Church Slavonic, while “thank you” came from Old Russian. For non-linguists, let’s say that there is a difference between the languages, at least in the fact that no one has ever spoken Old Church Slavonic; it is a written language created specifically for translations of the Bible and other sacred Christian texts.
Let's move directly to the "thank you." In the Ukrainian language there is a form of spasibi, which cannot be linked with the word “god”. In other Slavic languages there is no such word at all (Serbian “praise”, Mac. “thanks”, Czech děkuji), but there are similar ones in Finno-Ugric (Vodsk. passibo, Komi pasibӧ), Turkic (Yakut. baһyyba), in Ossetian has the same root - buznyg.
Let's use the English thank you for analysis. It is interesting that in “you”, the combination -ou is an outdated pronunciation (and apparently fixed in English grammar) of the letter o. Here we note that [c] is an allophone (variation) of the sound [b], thus, we elevate “bo” in “thank you” to the word “you”. We can say that this is just “salvation for you,” but here again the factor of the lack of this form of gratitude among other Slavs comes into play. Therefore, let’s also look at German thanksgiving - danke schön.
The second word has the following meanings:
- Beautiful; beautiful;
- okay!, good!, great!; I agree!, but they still translate “thank you.”
The S- in the word schön is a vestige of the full form of the word dankes (compare English thank - thanks), and -chön is apparently the same as obsolete. English thou "you". It is likely that danke and thank are related to the Russian word “tak”. That is, it turns out “so for you.” A comparison with Romance languages, for example Spanish, comes to mind here. gracias, lat. gratias - wish “you feel even better.” Note also that the prefix с- exists only in the Ukrainian and Russian languages, hence the assumption that the initial form is “thank you”. We bring it back to the word “more” -1. adj. outdated - used in the comparative sense: more. 2. adv. outdated - Used in meaning. compare Art.: to a greater extent. Following this logic, we are trying to restore the original form as “more than you.”
For those who still fundamentally do not like the word “thank you,” you can quote from the work of B.A. Uspensky “The Image of the Devil and His Speech Behavior”: “Old Believers never use this form, usually saying “God Save” (Bespopovtsy) or “Save Christ” (Popovtsy). They have a legend that says “save Bo!” or even “save Ba!” (with a completely incorrect pronunciation) the pagans shouted during the baptism of Rus', calling on the pagan idol floating along the Dnieper, which Vladimir had overthrown.”
This seems to us linguistically possible (although we are not aware of any “Bo/Ba” in the pantheon), since forms of addressing the deity “save, help, protect, save” freely exist in the language and, I would like to note, this contradicts the Christian principle "don't take God's name in vain."
Whether or not to use “thank you” in your speech is up to you. With this article we wanted to show that this expression of gratitude is not to blame for anything and does not carry any specifically Christian overtones.
Article edited by Cheslava
Where they don't say "thank you"
How surprisingly short the prayer - God save you - was twisted! Priests explain this way why Christians do not thank for a good deed or gift with such a word.
“Thank you” is a shortened phrase for “God bless.” It is also shortened from the blessing “May God save you,” which was used to address others. In modern Russian, this phrase has not been used in this meaning for a long time.
In the Orthodox tradition, in prayer, instead of “thank you,” it is customary to express one’s gratitude to God with the words “Thank you, Lord.”
“Thank you” in different languages of the world. What is gratitude?
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes.
International Thank You Day, celebrated on January 11, is a rather strange holiday, implying a certain increased politeness of people to each other on this day. It is unlikely that he would deserve special attention if not for one circumstance. The fact is that in Russian both words used as Thank You have a pronounced religious component.
In the science of language - linguistics - that subsection that deals with the origin of words is called etymology. To establish or assume one etymology or another means to reinterpret and see the object denoted by the word, what deep meanings may actually be hidden in it. In this sense, the most polite word in all languages is “thank you” or “thank you.” And the fact that it is not only the most polite, but also, it turns out, is filled with various deep meanings is especially clear if you look at how it sounds in different languages of the world. It turns out that gratitude, the expression of gratitude, is a very important and non-trivial matter or concept.
For example, thanks to the Russian language, we see in the expression of gratitude its deepest religious content. After all, the Russian “thank you” is a two-part expression “God save” , from which the last consonant has simply disappeared. However, church people often say this in our country as a sign of gratitude: “Lord save me!” . But this is just a detailed, unabridged thank you. Then it turns out that to sincerely thank someone means to wish him the most important thing - the salvation of the soul and eternal life.
But as for, for example, the word “thank you” in German, it is not without reason that they say that Germany is a country of philosophers and thinkers. Indeed, in the German language it is customary to consider the words “gratitude” (Dank ) and the words “think” and “thought” ( Denken and Gedanke ) to be related and consonant. Then the expression “I thank” ( Ich danke ) is close to the expression “I think” ( Ich denke ). Thanks to the German language, we can assume that every real thought is gratitude. That learning to think at the same time means learning to give thanks. By the way, the English “to thank” and “gratitude” - thank - are related to the German Dank and danken , and English gratitude is also similar to the English word think - “to think”, “thought”.
Also, everyone knows that in French thank you is merci . But what is the etymology of this word? It turns out that it is derived from the Latin word merces - reward, mercy, payment . Then gratitude can be understood as a kind of reciprocal reward that the one who thanks seeks to give. The spirit of the French language here fully agrees with the great philosopher Aristotle, who wrote in his main ethical work, “Nicomachean Ethics”: “This is inherent in gratitude - to return a favor for a favor to someone who pleases, and in turn begin to please him.”
The Italian Grazie and the Spanish Gracias are derived from gratia , also a Latin word. Gratia in Latin is not only favor, gratitude and mercy, but also grace, charm, beauty. Therefore, thanks to the Latin language, gratitude can also be understood as something beautiful, sweet and not without grace. In a word, graceful. By the way, in Ancient Rome the graces were also called the three goddesses of fun, beauty and joy of life, who were the personification of grace and attractiveness.
And in ancient Greek mythology, the Charites correspond to the Roman graces. This is how we got to the Greek language. The Greek verb thank is ευχαριστώ - I thank. The corresponding noun “gratitude” in Greek is ευχαριστία. As is easy to see, this is also the Russian word “Eucharist” - the name of the main sacrament of the Church, Communion. The Eucharist can therefore also be called thanksgiving. In the Sacrament of Communion, the Church thanks God for the story of the creation of the world and man, for the fact that God sacrificed himself to people out of love for them. When a priest or bishop reads the Eucharistic Prayer, he thanks God “for everything that we know and that we do not know, the obvious and unknown blessings that have been done for us.”
In short, the wisdom hidden in different languages shows us what a great thing gratitude is. Moreover, this is one of the most important human qualities. Without it, neither real thought, nor beauty, nor, what is most important for us, the salvation of the soul is possible. That is why the Apostle Paul said: “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). After all, ingratitude can be completely equated with unbelief, when a person considers everything that happens to him to be meaningless and random, or even unfair. On the contrary, gratitude gives rise to trust and faith in God, gives strength to endure and wait for the time when hopes will be fulfilled.
On the screensaver there is a fragment of a photo: arianta
Another version about the pronunciation of gratitude phrases
God bless you is the real meaning of “thank you.” Early Christians in Rus' gave thanks with just such a phrase. Then this expression was shortened to “thank you” and people, forgetting about the true meaning, began to believe that in this way they were showing their good manners.
Considering this, they follow a false path that leads away from the true acquisition of eternal life in the Kingdom of God. By taking the name of God in vain, people devalue the very wish “God save you.”
A person who knows the real meaning of these words does the right thing, walks the path to Bliss, if he says “I give blessings.” In other words, this is Good, Bliss, Eternal Life. By saying Thank You, a person wishes another to achieve immortality, salvation and preservation in paradise.
This is the same as “God bless you.” But not quite like that. By saying “I give thanks,” we seem to share a part of our eternal life, our Bliss. We seem to be telling God that this person is righteous and deserves a reward - salvation and preservation on the Day of Judgment.
Saved people will not go to hell, their souls will not be erased. And whoever is not saved will go to hell. Only the righteous will gain eternal life.
Love for your neighbor
The words “thank you” and “thank you” are abbreviated phrases “God bless you” and “I give you bliss.” This is how people show that the one they turn to is on the righteous path, and therefore deserves salvation and preservation before the End of the World. That is, they show love for their neighbor. And who is our neighbor? Any person with whom you communicate or collaborate.
What should the answer be? When we answer: “No way,” we seem to not understand that we are refusing salvation and preservation in paradise. Even worse, we show disrespect for God. You must answer with love, as if you were answering yourself: “And the same to you,” or “God save you, too,” “Good for you, too.”
How to give thanks for a bath
It turns out there is no need to thank us for the bath either. You just need to praise the bathhouse - that’s all. The bathhouse is such a mystical and mysterious place that you can’t joke with it.
Even the bath procedure is considered unsafe:
- If the stove is not working properly, you can get burned.
- The bathhouse is always located at a distance, so it is difficult to call for help when an accident happens to someone who is bathing.
- Diseases were treated there and births were delivered.
- There are many superstitions and omens associated with the bathhouse.
- If the bathhouse caught fire, the entire village could burn out.
The owner of the bathhouse was considered to be a baennik. It was he who decided whether trouble would happen or not. If you anger the bathhouse, then the guest in the bathhouse could get angry on his next visit. Or the woman in labor will have a very difficult birth. Or the bathhouse could burn down if the offense was too severe.
Therefore, the baennik considered gratitude to someone, and not to him, to be the most unfair. Therefore, praise the bathhouse, not the owner. Yes, and mentioning God in a mystical place is not entirely correct.
Who to thank for help from above?
Photo: Flickr.com
The Orthodox Church teaches that for any good deeds sent to a person after his prayers to the saints or the Mother of God, one must thank only the Lord. After all, it is he who is the source and cause of everything that happens, except sin. And the Mother of God and the saints are only our intercessors, intercessors and petitioners before Him.
You also need to thank God in a special way. For this there is a Thanksgiving Prayer. It is ordered in the temple, and the presence of the one who thanks the Lord is mandatory. This prayer service serves as an expression of gratitude and gratitude to the Savior, who sent us His mercy and help.
The Most Holy Theotokos is the main intercessor for people before God, so reading a special Akathist to her will be the best gratitude. But there is no need to particularly thank the saints. The more often we turn to them with prayer, the more joy they experience; this is the best praise and gratitude for them.
Who else doesn't want to hear "thank you"?
Even today, Old Believers never say “thank you” as a form of gratitude. In their opinion, the mention of the Lord becomes “incomplete”, since the letter “G” disappears. And some Old Believers even today believe that this word of gratitude hides the name of the pagan god - “save Bai” or the idol Aba.
Some Old Believers do not accept this thanksgiving because the name of God is taken in vain. Old Believers say “Christ save (you)” or “Thank you.”
Many Cossacks today, just as before, prefer to say “thank you.”
They don’t say “thank you” at wakes either. After all, in this word we express gratitude for kindness or for the kindness shown to the living, so it is completely inappropriate to say this at the funeral table.
By pronouncing this phrase, you seem to express your satisfaction for the departure of this person to another world. There should be silence or a reserved presence at a wake.
When you are served a dish at a funeral, you also cannot say thank you. This way you can bring illness and misfortune upon yourself. Save your “thank you” for another occasion. It’s better to provide people with support, pay attention the next day or when the person is having a hard time.
It turns out that it is also better to say “thank you” to the doctors for the operation and for the medicine than our usual “thank you”.
It’s also better not to tell magicians and fortune tellers. It is blasphemy to give thanks to the evil one.
